This week’s theme was a toughie: SONGS TO MAKE SANDWICHES TO was inspired by a forum on music mag Word’s site. While Word readers couldn’t take the subject seriously I figured there was room for someone who did. And who better than little ol’ obsessive me? So sandwiches it was, but I made it easier by also including hamburgers, hot-dogs and the like. I even allowed songs about stuff that goes into a sandwich, like honey, tomatoes, chicken. Still I suffered some abuse. Impossible, you emailed. Why not make it broader and include all food pleaded Lynden. Crap theme, too hard, moaned Zoe. Oh you listeners of little faith.

We opened with a novelty song: SANDWICHES ARE BEAUTIFUL from Bob King, but in case you’re worried about this setting a tone for the rest of the show, be assured – rockers, r&b artists and especially the alternative pop singers all delivered some edgy songs on sandwiches.

Do you know where the word sandwich was born?  London. 1762. An English nobleman, John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich was too busy gambling to stop for a meal even though he was hungry for some food. The legend goes that he ordered a waiter to bring him roast-beef between two slices of bread. The Earl was able to continue his gambling while eating his snack; and from that incident, we have inherited the fast-food product that we now know as the sandwich.

Today, our favourite version of meat between bread is called a hamburger. So we got the show rolling with the Whitlams’ brilliant  I MAKE HAMBURGERS followed by The Flaming Lips and SHE DON’T USE JELLY. New York based, Japanese duo Cibo Matto were next with LE PAIN PERDU. The name of the band is Italian for crazy food and the title of the song is French for Toast. The lyrics in their songs are all primarily concerned with food, well seemingly anyway, and I liked them so much I also played another of their tunes, KNOW YOUR CHICKEN later in the program. Here’s the crazy video clip of that track and, although he doesn’t appear in the clip, that’s Sean Lennon on bass.

Two items that elevate ordinary old toast to dessert status are marmalade and honey. So any excuse to play Patti Labelle’s LADY MARMALADE and Aretha Franklin’s HONEY and I’m there. Yum yum.

Louis Jordan loves his BEANS AND CORNBREAD while Lil Johnson pushes metaphor to it’s limits with SAM THE HOT DOG MAN. Neil Young is partial to TUPELO HONEY on his sandwich, while  Jimmy Buffet can’t stop singing about a CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE.

When it comes to cheeseburgers, whether we like it or not, the burger with the highest profile has got to be MacDonald’s. Hell, there was a whole conversation about their burgers in the film PULP FICTION. Ah yes, how could we not include that iconic scene where John Travolta and Samuel Jackson discuss the merits of the French McDonald’s – ROYALE WITH CHEESE?

Two tunes that pay homage to the fact that a good cuppa is needed to wash down a sandwich or piece of toast were next.  Canadian Jeff Healey, gave Gertrude Lawrence’s A CUP OF COFFEE, A SANDWICH, AND YOU a burl and  then it was TOAST AND MARMALADE FOR TEA, a nice piece of bubblegum from the band Tin Tin.

Kaiser Cheifs reminded us of that vital sandwich ingredient – tomatoes –   with TOMATO IN THE RAIN. And then it was the hilarious TOAST from Paul Young and the Streetband. Classic. Take a look at this clip from 1978.

In Mexican cuisine, a sandwich is either a taco or a burrito. Beck didn’t sound too happy when he sang SATAN GAVE ME A TACO. It seems taking delivery of that snack had all kinds of repercussions. Meanwhile, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention went CRUISING FOR BURGERS. As you do.

All girl group Care Bears on Fire let loose with the precautionary BARBIE EAT A SANDWICH. Nice animated clip too. Check it out:

Let’s talk chicken. Here’s a question: What’s a chicken sandwich without MAYONNAISE? Smashing Pumpkins offered up a track dedicated to the condiment of all condiments. Mmmmm mmmmm: chicken, lettuce and mayo on white bread – can’t get better than that. The Detroit Grand Pubahs reinforced the fact that all songs, but especially those about food, are really about sex. The tune? The very cheeky WE CAN MAKE SANDWICHES. Here we go: another crazy video clip:

Out of the disco and out on the road: Little Feat are sang all about HAMBURGER MIDNIGHT and then John Mellencamp reckons that life is like choosing between HOTDOGS AND HAMBURGERS, (not sure what he’s getting at there).

Comedian Mitch Hedberg does a great skit on sandwiches and I particularly liked the bit about the Club Sandwich. We followed that with a dangerous piece of radio: Metal band Psychostick with THIS IS NOT A SONG, IT’S A SANDWICH!

After Psychostick we needed to calm down and what better way than with Feist and a song about the calming qualities of HONEY? You wouldn’t exactly call The Sugarcubes, (with Bjork), a calming influence. They can’t decide what to put on their sandwich and are threatening to EAT THE MENU. Check out the very young Bjork and a fabulous floating burger, all in one clip!

We closed the show with an oldie but a goodie: I LIKE BREAD AND BUTTER by the New Beats. Check out the clip from 1964:

Next week the show will feature Songs about Elvis; not by Elvis – although that would be good too – Songs about Elvis. Come on this one is easy, so start sending those requests in.

But for now, here’s this week’s playlist:

Norman Jeffrey Healey nacque a Toronto (Ontario, Canada) il 25 marzo 1966 ed è morto il 2 marzo 2008, poco prima di compiere 42 anni.

E’  stato un chitarrista di talento, esprimendosi con grande dimestichezza sia nella musica blues, come nel rock’n'roll, nel pop, ed anche nel jazz tradizionale.

Cieco fin dall’infanzia a causa di una rara forma di tumore all’occhio, si è interessato alla musica fin da bambino, cominciando a suanare la chitarra all’età di tre anni. Jeff si abituò a suonare la chitarra tenendola orizzantalmente in grembo e sviluppando uno stile unico curvando le corde e martellando.

Jeff aveva 17 anni quando formò “Blues Direction“, la sua prima Band, un quartetto che suonava quasi esclusivamente cover. Due anni dopo formò la “Jeff Healey Band” con il bassista Joe Rockman ed il batterista Tom Stephen.

Nel 1988, dopo aver stipulato un importante contratto con la Arista, grazie al grande successo del singolo “Angel eyes” classificatosi al 5° posto della Billboard Hot 100, l’album “See the light” vendette oltre un milione di copie in America e più di due milioni in tutto il mondo, consacrando Jeff Healey come un nuovo giovane talento del rock-blues.

Durante la registrazione dell’album di debutto, la “Jeff Healey Band” apparve nel film “Road House” interpretato dal compianto Patrick Swayze, e contribuendo notevolmente al successo della colonna sonora.

Il cancro che aveva dato la caccia a Jeff per tutta la vita, si riprensentò nel 2007, costringendolo ad un delicato e difficile intervento chirurgico ai polmoni. Ma prima della sua morte Jeff era riuscito a finire “Mess of Blues”, il suo primo album blues dopo otto anni, ed uscito postumo.

“Mess of Blues“, splendido lavoro, ebbe un enorme successo. Dalla “Blues Foundation” ricevette l’onore di essere il “Rock Blues Album of the Year” e facendo man bassa di premi al “Maple Blues Awards“.  La canzone “From the road” è stata pubblica nel settembre 2009.

Jeff ha dovuto lottare fin da piccolissimo contro una della più devastanti malattie che conosciamo, ma è riuscito ad imparare a suonare la chitarra ed a creare quel suo particolare stile che la ha contraddistinto. Era veramente bravo, apprezzato da molti. Ha suonato con B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Steve Lukater, Buddy Guy e registrato con George Harrison, Mark Knopfler e con la leggenda del Blues Jimmy Rogers, così come con decine di altri grandi musicisti. Negli ultimi anni, stanco degli estenuanti tour effettuati quando aveva 20-30 anni, decise di non muoversi da casa e vivere la famiglia, con la moglie e i due figli. Appassionato del Blues in ogni sua forma espressiva, ho sempre apprezzato la sua musica.

Discografia essenziale:

See the ligth (Arista Records, 1988)
Hell to pay (Arista Records, 1990)
Feel this (Arista Records, 1992)
Cover to cover (Arista Record, 1995)
Get me some (Forte Records, 1000)
Among friends (Stony Plain, 2002)
Adventures in Jazzland (Stony Plain, 2004)
Live at Montreux 1999 (Eagle Rock, 2005)
It’s tight like that (Stony Plain, 2006)
Mess of Blues (Ruf Records, 2008)
Songs of the Road (Ruf Records, 2009)

Visitate: Jeff Healey Website

“Don’t anyone wake me if it’s just a dream, ’cause she’s the best thing ever happened to me.”  Angel Eyes by Jeff Healey

I don’t think about dying much.  I prefer to believe that I would be ready for it at any time, fearlessly staring down the Grim Reaper to the point of his awe and embarrassment.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy living.  I still have an ever increasing fondness for Hawaiian style pizza and the seemingly endless varieties of ice cream.  The desire and indulgence of these two items alone could carry me over into the next century.  (a scant 91 years from now)  Not to mention the fact that each morning’s sunrise still inspires an appreciative reverence to the Almighty, music still calms the savage beast in me (or arouses him, depending on the circumstances) and reading a good book or discovering another classic film delightfully tickles my intellect to no end.  Nope, no death fixation here.  So why the somber moment of reflection?  

I am living a dream.  No, I am not rich and famous, I gave up on that a long time ago.  No, I haven’t conquered Mt. Everest or swam the English Channel, neither have I made some stirring contribution towards the betterment of mankind that will headline the annuals of achievement for the next one hundred years.  I am virtually a nobody that will die with quiet dignity amongst a small circle of friends and relatives as most of us do when crossing the finish line in this human race called “life”.  Like everyone else, I’ll be leaving a faint ripple in the sea of mankind that will ebb away into the calmness of those deep, still waters.  But until then…

The 20th of September is an anniversary of sorts, the day my BB and I made contact.   I had actually commented on her blog on the 9th of the month, but it was just a random hit… one of many I had instigated back when I was bored and just reading other blogs to pass the time.  Hers was different.  It struck a chord with me, like she was speaking to me or for me… needing my response.  We were both searching then, but we didn’t realize it… casting our bread out into cyberspace waters and not really expecting a bite.  As we connected, there was an honesty and openness there that I had never experienced in a relationship before.  Maybe it was because we didn’t have the distractions that usually accompany a formal meeting.  We couldn’t see each other.  At first, we only had the words we wrote and read, then came telephone conversations but still… no face to face contact.  No visuals of any kind except through our blogs, e-mails or voices… and maybe that made the difference.

 When you first meet someone, the attraction is mostly physical.  Her eyes, legs, hips or breasts are most prominent; his smile, shoulders, biceps or chest most profound.  After that initial impression comes communication; a look, a gesture, an approach, an introduction.  Finally there is a meshing of compatibility and compromise.  My beautiful girl and I had none of that, just two hearts willing to begin a relationship that had no idea where it would end up.

Now this morning (two years later) I am in our living room writing this little message to you all while she prepares breakfast.  She enjoys being a housewife, honestly… it never seems to be a chore for her.  I find myself asking, “What can I do for you today?” and actually wanting to be her handyman.  All those things we told ourselves when our courtship began; all the negativity and apprehension, all the tension and nagging doubts, feelings of unworthiness… they are all gone.  What attracted us to each other is still the central part of our relationship; honesty, trust, communication and of course, mutual respect.

We both work jobs that are not very glamorous, we have simple tastes and find joy in the little things.  Our conversations are lively and thought provoking.  She has her own mind and opinions as do I, but we allow each other the differences that make up our personalities even when we disagree.  I am proud of the way she carries herself; delicate and feminine yet forthright and determined.  I admire her devotion to her children and humble posture before God.  We’ll both admit we are not perfect in any sense of the word and yet find we blend gloriously.  I am constantly telling her what a lucky man I am.  I cannot think of a better reward in this life than having her love me.

So… if I should wake up sometime before I die and find it was all just a dream, if my life with my French Canadian sweetheart has just been the jarbling of events mixed into the cinema of sweet slumber;  rock me gently, coo softly into my ear and whisper a child’s prayer so that I may lull myself back into this ever-comforting blanket of serene contentment.  She is my reality, I require nothing else.

I love you, my fair one.  Sweet dreams all.    

(If embedding disabled by request appears, try double clicking to youTube)

peace.

A man puts a gun in yer face, you got two choices- stand there ‘n die or kill the m*th*rf*ck*r! – Wade Garrett

My wife sent me an email from Cleveland on Monday night to tell me that Patrick Swayze had died.  I read it and then did the only thing a GonzoGeeker could possibly do with that news.  I got out my copy of “Road House” and watched it in its entirety.

It was probably the first time I’d done that since the first time I saw it on video in 89 or 90.

How is that possible you might ask?  Don’t you have a Road House quote as a guiding life philosopy on your GG page?

Yes I do.  And just because I haven’t watched it start to finish  in 20 years doesn’t mean I haven’t watched Road House in its entirety in that time.  I’ve just done it in chunks.

You see, Road House belongs to that group of movies I like to call “Inadvertant Classics.”  You know the ones.  The movies you watch 15 to 30 minutes at a time on cable.  The ones you can pick up from any point and not miss a beat.  The ones you and your friends quote in any situation ad nauseum.

Movies like Road House.  And Point Break.  And The Replacements.  And Predator.  And Escape From New York.

Yeah.  Those movies.

So, as I watched the perennial bar based movie house band, Tito & Tarantula blasting away through the opening credits I prepared myself to watch Road House with new reverence.

Yes, I used Road House and reverence in the same sentence.

So we watch Frank Tilghman hire legendary “cooler,” Dalton to come to his Kansas nightclub, the Double Deuce, to clean things up.  Dalton takes the job and shows up in Jasper, Kansas to see exactly what he’s gotten himself into.

He starts by cleaning up the staff, dismissing dealers, thieves and other ne’er do wells.  Then he lays down his three simple rules.

1.  Never underestimate your opponent

2.  Take it outside.

3.  Be nice.

Set to a bluesy soundtrack featuring the Jeff Healey Band, Dalton begins the process of cleaning up the Double Deuce.  In doing so he befriends several of the locals and runs afoul of the local “boss,” Brad Wesley.

He also meets Doc, the comely emergency room physician who staples him up after a knife wound.

As things escalate, Dalton’s mentor, Wade Garrett shows up for back up.

Of course, this all leads to the ultimate confrontation between Wesley and Dalton for the soul of Jasper and the Double Deuce.

What makes this movie so great is, in large part, the supporting cast.

Kelly Lynch is Doc.  She patches Dalton up and then shows up at his barn loft for some sexual healing.

Sam Elliott is Garrett.  His grizzled demeanor and whiskey soaked voice are perfect for the career tough guy.  His long gray hair and beard scream tough guy.

Ben Gazzarra is Wesley.  He doesn’t look dangerous at first, but he’s the typical Napoleon.  He hires thugs and has them do his dirty work for him.

Add to this mix pro wrestling legend Terry Funk, Red West of Elvis’ Memphis Mafia and X’s frontman John Doe and you are looking at an interesting and eclectic mix.

Of course, none of this would have worked without Patrick Swayze as Dalton.  He brings a likeability to the NYU educated zen bouncer that would have looked dopey played by Jean Claude Van Damme and just flat out creepy played by Steven Seagal.

One of the joys of watching this movie again for the first time in 20 years was the realization that it is, at its very heart, just a western.  The stranger rides into town to clean things up.  Gets crossed with local bad guy.  Beats his thugs down.  Loses someone close to him and seeks ultimate revenge before ending up with the girl.

Its basically a John Wayne movie, if John Wayne had known tai chi and ballet.

A movie like Road House owes its enduring success to its timing.  A modest hit at the box office. Road House took on a life of its own when it was released on home video.  You could watch this ridiculous modern American western in the comfort of your own home without having to really admit to liking a Patrick Swayze movie.

Then it hit cable and went into perpetual rotation.  The fact that Road House plays on AMC (American Movie Classics) give me pause to smile each time I stumble upon it.  In fact, in the most recent issue of Rolling Stone, they listed “The Next Showing of Road House” as #35 on their list of 50 reasons to watch television now.

You know you’ve hit a collective nerve when your “B” movie is turned into an off off off Broadway play.

They eventually gave in and made a direct-to-DVD sequel in 2006 which I have avoided like a plague.  I read in a review that Dalton is killed off screen.  If Dalton is dead then so is Road House as a franchise.  Because, let’s be honest, Jimmy from the Wonders is no Dalton, no matter how much stubble he has.

So, with this post I officially kick of my “Inadvertant Classics” series and dedicate them to the patron saint of the subgenre, Patrick Swayze.

 Patrick Swayze has gone to the big Road House in the sky, but I just know that tonight he’s standing at the bar drinking a cup of coffee with John Wayne and listening to Jeff Healey wail on his guitar.

RIP Mijo.

And remember kids, be nice until its time to not be nice.

cá entre nós, Jeff Healey é mestre em muganga*, o cara toca muito.

*Muganga = pantim – estripulia

Swayze

Mrs Vole was traumatised this morning by the sad passing of Patrick Swayze. At 57 another victim of cancer.

I have never seen Dirty Dancing, however I have seen my favourite Swayze film Road House (catch line “the dancing’s over. Now it gets dirty”) countless times. The 1989 movie saw him play tough bouncer Dalton take on a rowdy bar on the wrong side of the tracks.

While Swayze was as good as ever I remember the movie for its fantastic music, particularly by blind Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey whose band had to play in a cage in the bar to avoid being bottled.  

In a sad twist Healey died of cancer last year. He was 41.

A sad day.

Jeff Healey

Slide guitar maven Ellen McIlwaine has a 44 year career under her belt and is not about to slow down.  Her long history includes performing and recording with musicians such as Jack Bruce, Taj Mahal, and Jeff Healey, creating movie scores, touring the world and so much more.

You can see Ellen McIlwaine perform an intimate solo show LIVE in Cleveland at The Winchester on Saturday, Sept. 26th, 2009.  Showtime is 9:00pm.  Admission is $14.00.  Local country-folk artist Rebekah Jean opens the show.  Visit www.thewinchester.net for information and directions.

Ellen McIlwaine

From Ellen’s website bio (http://www.ellenmcilwaine.com):

“2009 makes forty four years as a professional musician!  After returning to the US for two years of college in 1963, she began playing Acoustic Guitar in Atlanta Georgia while attending Art School, moved to Greenwich Village in 1966, opening for many Blues Greats, and getting to know Odetta, Richie Havens, Mississippi John Hurt and Jimi Hendrix.”

“Moving to Woodstock NY in 1968 and recording Fear Itself with her group of the same name, she gained cult status through her two Polydor albums “Honky Tonk Angel” 1972 and “We the People” 1973.  These were followed by “The Guitar Album”, a compilation of all the guitar players on Polydor in 1974: Link Wray, Rory Gallagher, John McLaughlin, Roy Buchannan to name a few.  Ellen was the only female player.”

“Exposed to everything from Japanese Folk and Classical Music, American Rhythm & Blues greats like Ray Charles, Fats Domino and Professor Longhair on Japanese radio, as well as the Grand Ole Opry on American Armed Forces Radio, while growing up in an International Community of families from India, Pakistan, the Middle East, China, Korea, Eastern and Western Europe, she was playing “World Music” before it was called World Music!”

A comprehensive Canadian Music article about Ellen McIlwaine can be found here:

http://www.laventure.net/tourist/ellenbio.htm

An amazing video of Ellen McIlwaine performing “La Guitara“:

Quick post as I am at CFRC tech. producing the football game.  Link to Friday’s show, All Live Edition with some NFL picks at the start of the 2nd hour.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicSept11th2009Hour1

Live music for the entire show, first hour with Jeff Healey and Coco Love Alcorn.

http://www.archive.org/details/SaltWaterMusicSept11th2009Hour2

All live edition continues with Teresa Ennis and Jenn Grant.

Taped the show yesterday morning.  All live music for the 2 hours.  Long sets from Jeff Healey, Coco Love Alcorn, Teresa Ennis and Jenn Grant.

Queen’s Football Saturday afternoon at 1pm as the Golden Gaels host McMaster.

Falling further behind in uploading the shows.  I’ll try and catch up a bit on Tuesday, my next day when I’m not working.

Every month brings new music in the blues world. Some have great expectation attached to them and many are unheralded but a music fan like myself is always hoping to find that next great record. So with no further ado lets take a look at some of the more notable records arriving this month.

Up first, is one of my all time favourite guitar players, Jeff Healey, and the fact he is Canadian like me is especially nice. “Songs From The Road” is an album of unreleased live tracks are highlights from his 2006 performance at Norway’s Nottoden Blues Festival, plus 2007 gigs in London and Toronto (the latter at his home-town club, the Jeff Healey Roadhouse).  This record arrives about 18 months after his passing and the last of these recordings were made a year before he passed away in March of 2008 so any new music from Healey is a gift and live music was where he shone brightest. At the end of the closing song, “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me,” you can hear Jeff saying “That was fun, and that’s what it’s all about.”

John Mayall will be releasing “Tough” this month. In the 44 years since his first record release and at almost 76 years old, this is John Mayall’s 57th official album. Wow! He has more records than I have years. Mayall is a jack of all trades on this outing. He produces,and  plays keyboards, guitar, and harmonica as well as singing. The record also features a young musician out of Austin named Rocky Athas who will maybe the next in the long line of brilliant guitar players that Mayall has employed. Mayall has an ear for guitar talent too, as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor joined his band in  succession in the mid-’60s, before going on to join Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and the Rolling Stones, respectively.

Aynsley Lister is young blues-rocker out of the UK with 6 records to his name. “Equilibrium” will be his 7th and has been out overseas since March. If you aren’t familiar with him yet you will be soon I am sure. The guy is a damn good guitar player and a great singer to boot. His music has generally been in the blues-rock arena in the past. This one seems to have gone in a more rock direction and doesn’t have a lot of blues here. Funny thing but his cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” is a tune that does get more of a blues treatment.

Mike Zito’s first record “Today” for Eclecto Groove Records was a critical success. Following that just over a year later is “Pearl River” a CD that had Zito entered into Piety Street Studios located in New Orleans, Louisiana in early June with a collection of songs inspired by the city’s rich musical heritage. Guest appearances by such as Cyrille Neville and Anders Osborne give the record more authenticity. At times, to my ears anyway, his voice sounds a lot like Jonny Lang’s and has a real soul blues feel. Hopefully this one will be as good as “Today”.

Sean Costello is the second young blues artist to have a posthumous release this month. Sadly, on April 15, 2008, just two months after the release of “We Can Get Together” and a day before his 29th birthday, Costello was found dead in a local Atlanta hotel room. He suffered from bi-polar syndrome. If you visit his website it is now called The Sean Costello Memorial Fund For Bipolar Research. If you want to contribute part of the proceeds from the sales of Sean’s Blues will go to the fund. “Sean’s Blues” is a collection of  5 songs taken from his 2 Landslide Records releases and 12 previously unavailable tracks.

Corey Harris is also back this month with “blu.black” a collection of fourteen original songs – primarily blues and reggae, but with a little bit of everything thrown in. Corey Harris has earned a reputation as one of the few contemporary bluesmen able to go back into the  blues past and yet add something different to them. He’s no traditionalist, mixing influences in his music as varied as New Orleans to the Caribbean to Africa.  Harris says, “The story that I want to tell is that we who have had the experience of coming from parents who came from the south, whose parent were poor and the children of slaves – we can take this music and make something new with it,”

Good thing about using Twitter during the game yesterday it saves me typing a long recap.  From Labour Day, my live Twitter updates during the game.   Including two surprise phone calls I got during the game.

—

Queen’s vs Guelph on CFRC, kick-off at 2pm. www.cfrc.ca 101.9FM I’ll either be working on it with little or no sleep. Should be fun.

During halftime today on CFRC….. no clue. Might be something from the stadium, but could be me reading some scores and playing music.

Just helped a caller from Halifax connect to CFRC online. Yep, Halifax. I tell people the station has a wide reach.

Broadcast has begun. Think the audio levels of the the two guys have evened out. One headset can’t hear what’s on air. Oops.

Brannagan throws an early INT, Guelph had a 1st goal and scored. Under 2 mins in and Guelph up by a TD.

7-0 Guelph, 13:07 to go in the first quarter….. not a good start

Dunk fumbles in the red zone and Queen’s recovers the ball.

Golden Gaels return the favour by fumbling the ball back to Guelph. Sloppy contest early on.

Dan Brannagan’s grandfather called in, trying help him to listen online. Computer issues.

11-0 Guelph by the way, got busy with the phone call.

11-7 Guelph after Queen’s gets their first TD of the season in the 2nd quarter

Jimmy Allin with a 61 yard punt return for a TD. Make it 14-11 lead for Queen’s. That was quick.

TD Queen’s, Morrison with the catch makes it 21-11. 21 unanswered points.

Player slow to get up so the PA system plays “Don’t Worry Be Happy” as he’s attended to. LOL.

Another punt return for a TD by Jimmy Allin near the end of the 1st half. Damn. 28-11 Queen’s. 2 mins left till halftime.

Make that 29-11 Queen’s. Typed it before the extra point.

Don’t know how but I timed 2 Jeff Healey songs quite well at halftime. Only 2 ads to play after them before the 2nd half started.

29-18 Queen’s in the 3rd quarter, sounds like the game is slowing down a bit.

Things changing a bit, Guelph closing the gap Queen’s up 32-26

But then Guelph decides it to kick it to Jimmy Allin again?? Bad move, his 3rd return for a TD today. 105 yards this time. 39-25 Queen’s

46-25 Queen’s as the Gaels pull away again from Guelph.

46-32 Queen’s and Guelph has the ball with 9 minutes to go. Still some fight in the Gryphons.

TD Guelph which makes the lead 46-39 for the Golden Gaels. 7 minutes left in the game.

Jimmy Allin returning the ball again, but this time fumbles it. Guelph deep in Queen’s territory. Uh oh.

Guelph held to a FG so it’s 46-42 Queen’s. A TD by Justin Dunk was called back due to a holding call.

FG by the Gaels make it 49-42 with 1:45 to go. Lack of sleep hasn’t affected me at all with this type of game.

1st and goal Guelph, crazy game. 1:08 to go. Overtime maybe?

Touchdown Guelph with 42 seconds to go…… tied at 49. I’ll never be getting out of here. LOL.

Queen’s lining up for a FG, 37 yards……. and it’s good. 52-49 win for Queen’s….. good lord.

Time to get some food and get some sleep after this long day.

—

The back up kicker who got the winning field goal is Mike Petranovic by the way.  Didn’t want to spell his name wrong during the game.

This evening going for “Take 2″ of the interview with Allison Crowe.  Not exactly sure if the studio is back to normal but I’ll find out a little after 6pm today if it is.  Taping of this Friday’s show will happen later in the week.

Might play a lot of live stuff this week.  Idea came after playing some of the new Jeff Healey disc during halftime of the football game.  “Songs from the Road” is from Stony Plain Records and is endorsed by his family.  Jeff passed away in March 2008 and there was a company that released an unauthorized disc after his death.  But this one is an official release.

Think I’ll play a bit of that disc on the show Friday.  Played “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” at halftime which is a great version.  Even has the crowd singing along with it.

Also have some songs from a concert Jenn Grant did.  If I can find enough stuff I might do an all live edition for Friday.

In today’s column in the Red Deer Advocate I was very pleased to review two outstanding Canadian blues albums. For me, it is a fine line between blues wankering and music that resonates with me. Of late, I’ve been listening to several blues albums and have reviewed a handful. I’ve also been exploring some older material, stuff like Johnny Winter, Son House, and even The Mississippi Sheiks. I picked up Joe Bonamassa’s The Ballad of John Henry and couldn’t even listen to it all. Yet, I put on some Alligator-era Johnny Winter- music that isn’t all that different from Bonamassa’s- and I’m entirely engaged. Please read my reviews of David Gogo’s Different Views and the latest live- and I believe only family authorized- posthumous Jeff Healey disc, Songs from the Road. Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. I hope you find something of interest, not just in my words but in exploring the music I’m recommending. Donald 

David Gogo Different Views (Cordova Bay)

Nanaimo-based David Gogo is a veteran on the Canadian blues circuit, and he returns this fall with his tenth album of electric guitar-oriented shuffles and R&B boogie dance tunes.

The originals are power blues-rockers of the finest sort, with changes of tempo that encourage air-guitar miming from listeners and vocal arrangements that recall Tom Wilson (Where the Devil Won’t Go) and Carlos Santana (Lies). Different Views is soaring voices, power chords, and waves of organ, tightly arranged for maximum impact.

A pair of crack covers- Don’t Bring Me Down, owing as much to David Johansen as it does Eric Burden, and John Stewart’s Gold- serve as recognizable anchors.  The 1979 hit receives a vital update, with Gogo’s whammy bar altering the familiar melody and Carolyn Mark holding her own in Stevie Nicks’ harmony spot.

Different Views is a blues album that holds up to repeated listens.

 Jeff Healey Songs from the Road (Stony Plain)

 During his life I largely ignored Jeff Healey, the Toronto blues and jazz guitarist who died in early 2008. While friends were grooving to his radio hits, I was busy with John Hiatt, Dave Alvin, and the Razorbacks.

This seamless set, collated from festival and club appearances during the last two years of his life, serves as a solid introduction to the bluesy side of Healey while providing long-time followers much to savour.

Showcasing the breadth of Healey’s gifts, most tracks clock in at over five minutes allowing these roadhouse jams to evolve. I Think I Love You Too Much and Angel Eyes represent Healey hits, while the catalogues of Cream, Willie Dixon, The Beatles, and The Allmans are expressively mined by Healey’s impressive band of blues brothers.

Songs from the Road is a fine addition to the Jeff Healey legacy.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee.

Egged on by the inestimable Messrs. Riccardi and Hutchinson, I present my unexpurgated and hugely idiosyncratic list of the first 25 selections on my iPod, no cheating.  Readers of similar temperaments are encouraged to respond:

Perdido, Stuff Smith

Sleigh Ride, Mark Shane’s Xmas All-Stars

Good Little, Bad Little You, Cliff Edwards (Venuti and Lang)

Blame it On the Blues, Duke Heitger’s Big Four

It’s A Sin to Tell A Lie, Humphrey Lyttelton

Walk It To Me, Hot Lips Page

Gassin’ the Wig, Roy Porter

Under A Texas Moon, Seger Ellis

They Say, Echoes of Swing

Some Rainy Day, Hal Smith’s Roadrunners

Linden Blues, Rex Stewart

There’s Something In My Mind, Ruby Braff

Down By The Old Mill Stream, Benny Goodman

Sweet Sue, Jammin’ at Rudi’s (Rudi Blesh, 1951)

Take the “A” Train, Duke Ellington

My Blue Heaven, Eddie Condon (Town Hall)

Farewell Blues, Eddie Condon (Decca)

Stay On the Right Side of the Road, Bing Crosby

Oriental Man, Simon Stribling

All That Meat and No Potatoes, The Three Keys

Stompin’ at the Savoy – Fine and Dandy, Coleman Hawkins (1967 JATP with Teddy Wilson)

Corrine Corrina, Red Nichols

Fascinatin’ Rhythm, Cliff Edwards

St. Louis Bllues, The Boswell Sisters

I’ll See You In My Dreams, Jeff Healey

Perhaps not a scientific cross-section or a scholarly sample, but those tracks — in that idiosyncratic assortment — offer great happiness.  Anyone care to join in?

Today’s Topic:  The worst lyrics I’ve heard in years (closing in on ever at a staggering pace)….quick blog

Mood Music:  What else….Second Chance by Shinedown

Ok, Ok….I’ll answer this question first:

Yes, I listen to pop music while riding in my truck with mud tires (hey, I saved about $400 on those tires…ease up) and construction debris in the back while covered in paint from touching up a bathroom remodel. 

What’s wrong with that? 

I’ve gotta say…it’s not always pop music….I entertain myself while driving with a game I like to call “since I’m the only person still alive (under 50) that has ONLY a radio in his car…… (that’s correct…no tape player…do those still exist?  I’m guessing no.  No CD player.  No Ipod connection.  You get it)……..I think I’ll change the channel everytime I don’t like the song until I find something worth listening to”.  Sounds great doesn’t it?  Well, sometimes it can be extraordinary…..like today for example (while driving the truck with debris in the back and paint on my pants) I was flipping through Charlotte’s abysmal selection of FM Radio stations, and came across Jeff Healey singing “Angel Eyes”.  I don’t know about you all, but that shit was damn good when I was 8.  Ok, 11.  And guess what?  It still is.  Man I was blurting that damn song out…in fact my partner called (we’ll call him Charlie) and when I told him what I was listening to….he asked me to crank it up.  So, in fact, I’m not the only one.  Maybe there are more of you….

and for the record (and please…no offense to those faithful WOW supporters who are not heterosexuals)….by partner I mean business, and just because 2 dudes like the song “Angel Eyes” by Jeff Healey doesn’t make them gay.  Well…..it is a little……we are both happily married……and the song was in the movie “Roadhouse” with Patrick Swayze….a classic film about a guy that’s a bouncer at a bar who falls…..ok, so maybe that’s not a shining example of why to like the song……it just reminds me of childhood.

Angel Eyes Video

Speaking of gay…how about that drummer?  Whoa.  Listen closely for his drum solo/roll towards the end….I’m fairly certain it’s what I modeled my “Rock Band” drum improv/solo after.  It’s just too close to call.  (if you can’t watch the whole thing….it’s at about the 4:24 mark)

Now, to the point of this (short) blog.  I was playing the radio game today and came across a song that I’ve heard about a thousand times whilst playing said game and finally I had to stop the channel surfing for once and listen.  And here’s what I heard:

“I just saw Halley’s Comet, she waved…..said why you always running in place”

What the hell.

“even the man in the moon disappeared, somewhere in the stratosphere”

Huh?

There are so many things that bug me about those 2 lines that it would take a “long” blog to fully delve into the magic of these frightfully moronic lyrics….so just a couple things that bothered me and I’ll leave you all to ponder……

(again, no offense to any non-heteros out there)…but

the Halley’s Comet line…….might be the gayest thing I’ve ever heard.  The effing comet waved huh.  I wonder how they determined it was a she?  Was this back in the 80’s?  Is he writing about childhood?  Did the comet just flicker in the sky and the dude heard, “hey man….why you always runnin’ in place?”  Like the comet was busting his chops for living on a planet that orbits the sun as opposed to flying aimlessly throughout space, only to burn out later.  Either way, what in the shit does he mean by that line?  You got me….but I know 1 thing….

it sucks.

How about the ole’ man in the moon line.  that guy hasn’t come up in a song before has he?  Now why am I calling the moon a he?  I guess it’s because we’re just discussing the “man in the moon” not just the moon, right?  Either way, he disappeared at some point…..I’m guessing he too was part of this guy’s vivid childhood imagination (let’s hope he’s just reminiscing and not just effin’ insane)  Unfortunately, I’ve got a feeling it’s the latter, because if I’m not mistaken, the stratosphere is part of the Earth’s atmosphere….therefore, sorry Shinedown, the moon just can’t quite disappear somewhere in the stratosphere.  Now, maybe there was some cloud cover…or possibly (but doubtful) there was an eclipse….but not in the stratosphere…sorry.

Of course, of the 2 lines….the first is the one that really, really, really gets under my skin.  It’s just so damn awful.

Well, that’s it for today.  Just a little vent on a Wednesday night for all of you commuters.  Check out your FM dial tomorrow and see if you can find this summer’s jam….”Second Chance” by Shinedown.  Trust me, it will annoy you…..and maybe later we can discuss the ridiculous pronunciation of the word “me” in pop music these days. 

I’ll talk at you all again later.

“please don’t cry one tear for me….I’m not afraid of what I have to say….this is my one and only voice, so listen close….it’s only for today”

Looking around a few months ago, I found this review of “King King” from the University of Houston Daily Cougar Online archives, Dec. 3, 1992. I really like the exuberance and imagery in this review.

As a bonus: A Jeff Healey review!

BLOSSOMING BANDS BESTOW PLEASING PLATTERS
by Manuel Esparza
Daily Cougar Staff

How do you like it, live or studio? Well the Red Devils cut a live disc and the Jeff Healey Band is fresh from recording 12 new tracks.

Got your asbestos gloves handy? Good. Now get ready to handle some blast furnace blues. Captured on the Red Devil’s live album King King is blues in its most elemental form — fire.

The album, King King, takes its name from the L.A. club that has adopted the Devils. It is a beer sopped, cigarette stench, sweaty bodies, dimly lit, watch where you sit, graffiti ridden, wrong side of the tracks, eardrum rupturing disc.

Etched into this disc is the atmosphere of that club and, more importantly, the energy and impact of the Red Devils.

Technically the album is superb. Engineered with great separation between instruments, the clarity of sound is just amazing. Filtered down, but not completely eliminated is the audience’s reactions during some of the songs. This is what really makes this recording jump out of the loud speakers.

The band is tighter than a hand-woven Persian rug. Vocalist and harmonica man Lester Butler, bassist Johnny Ray Bartel and ex-Blasters Bill Bateman (drums) are founding members, and have been playing together every Monday night for the past couple of years at the King King club. Talented Texan Paul Size is the newest member and lead guitarist.

It must be that weekly gig that keeps the band members so in tune with each other. When the songs turn into jam sessions, the spontaneity flows fluidly into the songs much as ice melts into water.

The jams are characterized by the ongoing guitar/harmonica war between Paul and Lester. There are guitar licks crisper than a new C-note and more pure than Ivory soap. Paul Size can turn it around with a burst of rock melting leads. Each note is performed with a precision that is hard enough to achieve in studio and supposedly not able to be done live. Paul’s fretboard gymnastics reduce the dependency on effects pedals. It’s unbelievable what can be done with just six strings.

Butler’s mouth harp is no less impressive. He cuts the swirling smoky air with his wailing style. The man must have lungs the size of blimps. Butler sustains his notes and breathes enough feeling into his jams that gives them their own lives. His daunting, taunting tremolos challenge Size to rise up and spar with him.

They play a musical game of “chicken” trying to see who will go further. This friendly dynamic tension usually ends with the two players uniting to gun down the audience with lethal leads.

This is an absolutely fantastic album. Also listen for them on Mick Jagger’s up coming release. Mick jammed on stage with the Devils and liked them enough to invite them into the studio.

Kick your dog and dump your girlfriend so you too can sing the blues with these guys.

If your mouth waters for some solid rock, quench your thirst here. Jeff Heeley has returned with Joe Rockman (bass) and Tom Stephen (drums), the other pillars if the power trio, and they are stronger than ever.

The accolades are flung to them as roses to a matador. Not without justification, are they highly regarded. Listening to Feel This, the new album, it is apparent the painstaking effort that went in to each note.

There is no effort spared and no wasted sound. The marriage of Joe Hardy and the JHB to produce this disc is a better pairing than Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.

The first cut off the album, “Cruel Little Number” is getting a good amount of air play, and with good reason. It has all a single should. There is the tale of a ‘hot babe’, the catchy beat, and generous doses of guitar, all without the bubble gum. Healey cuts loose and puts a slow, searing lead behind his vocals.

Healey is highly talented and surrounds himself with very proficient musicians. He has been blind since age one and has been playing guitar since he was three. All his years of practicing really do show through, not just in his playing but also in his song writing.

Healey changes pace without sacrificing any bit of style. The band has the ability to make any beat sound as if it were the one they always played in.

What Feel This appears to be is an excuse to put some brilliant guitars on vinyl for posterity. That sounds pretty good to me.

Jeff Healey tenía un club bastante respetado en Toronto, en el cual aprovechaba su tiempo grabando cortes en vivo, con toda la potencia de su Fender y una voz tan carismática, que lo haría uno de los guitarristas de blues contemporáneo más importante de los últimos 20 años, “Mess of Blues” salió al mercado casi un mes después de su muerte, sin embargó no se enmarcó como una estrategia del sello por vender, aprovechándose de la sensibilidad de sus fans, ya que este trabajo estaba agendado hace bastante tiempo, es más, marcaba el regreso de Healey a las grandes giras por Europa, ya que éste disco era su primer registro en estudio en más de ocho años.Las canciones que componen el set list no fueron elegidas al azar, ya que son las favoritas del público que noche tras noche pedían a Jeff que interpretara y su banda en el Roadhouse, es así como encontramos con “I’m Tore Down” y “How Blue Can You Get”. Los tracks de estudio fueron grabados en el Studio 92 de Canadá, bajo la supervisión de Richard Barker Uglow, pero no nos confundamos, ya que el muy bien elegido set list, nos deja más que claro el término Rock con letras mayúsculas, es así como salen pirotécnicas versiones de “Like a Hurricane” de Neil Young o la profunda “Sittin’on Top Of the World” de Chester Arthur Burnett (Howlin Wolf), que más allá de pertenecer a estas alturas al catálogo más tradicional del Blues, Healey la transforma en una explosión de Rock al ejecutar aquel solo de guitarra lleno de estiramientos de cuerda con el tono quejumbroso, como si en cualquier momento fuese a desafinar, pero ¡no!, es parte de su técnica, que al usar la guitarra posada sobre sus piernas, lo hace tener un sonido bastante diferenciador.

Texto: Claudio Ibarra / Edición: Jonathan Reyes

Lanzamiento: Abril 2008
1. I’m Torn Down
2. How Blue Can You Get
3. Sugar Sweet
4. Jambalaya
5. The Weight
6. Mess O’ Blues
7. It’s Only Money
8. Like A Hurricane
9. Sittin’ On Top of The World

10. Shake, Rattle and Roll
País: Canadá

Soms schrijf je een doorwrocht bericht waar je wat reacties op verwacht, maar dan blijft het stil. Een andere keer knal je spontaan iets op je blog en plotseling komen er grote aantallen bezoekers en veel comments binnen. Het blijft onvoorspelbaar. De bezoekersaantallen van gisteren en vandaag zijn extreem hoog voor dit persoonlijke blogje – noem het maar mijn eigen X-factor. Of is het een geluksfactor? Hoe dan ook, de aanleiding is wel grappig.

Samen met mijn zwagers Rob en Ronald heb ik om de zoveel tijd een muziekavond. We nemen elk 5 nummers mee (op CD, DVD of online van YouTube) en gaan daar samen naar luisteren. We spreken vooraf een thema af en vertellen om beurten waarom we een bepaald nummer mooi of bijzonder vinden. We printen de teksten voor elkaar uit zodat je desgewenst mee kunt lezen. Bovendien laten we ons de biertjes en gehakballetjes / kippenpootjes goed smaken. Boys will be boys.

Ik wilde het prachtige nummer “Hallelujah” van Jeff Buckley laten zien/horen en dacht op dat moment dat deze tragisch verdronken zanger/gitarist dezelfde was als Jeff Healey. Gevalletje persoonverwisseling mijnerzijds… Maar ja, ik heb als kind lang gedacht dat Paul Simon Art Garfunkel was en andersom. En ik kan me herinneren dat ik me plotseling realiseerde dat Piet Bambergen en Johnny Kraaykamp twee verschillende komieken waren. Bijwerkingen van een associatief brein, zullen we maar zeggen.

Jeff Healey was een blinde gitarist uit Canada (hij staat – sorry, zit – hierboven rechts op de foto). Healey was een virtuoos op zijn instrument en hij had zichzelf op een zeer bijzondere manier leren spelen. Kijk maar even hier. Hij overleed op 2 maart 2008 aan kanker (lees hier meer over hem). Jeff Buckley komt niet uit Canada maar uit California… Beide heren zijn wel uit 1966 – geloof het of niet. Jeff Buckley verdronk in 1997 onder wat mysterieuze omstandigheden (daar lees je hier meer over).

Rest mij nog een vraag: waarom moeten wij in ’s hemelsnaam deze geweldige zangers en muzikanten missen? En rest mij nog een stille wens: ik hoop dat ze nu samen de sterren van de hemel spelen en dat we ooit met een ontelbaar publiek van deze (en andere) muziekgiganten kunnen genieten. Lijkt je dat wat?

Echoes in The Wind Report;

Click here to go to EITW to check the Rolling Stones’ “No Use in Crying”…nice call on that Stones tune.  Also Jeff Healey’s “Angel Eyes”…plus some Sting, and EWF if you like.

Hace un año murió uno de los mejores y más originales guitarristas de la historia del blues-rock, Jeff Healey. Ciego como consecuencia de un cáncer raro (retino blastoma), tocaba con la guitarra apoyada sobre sus rodillas. De esa manera era capaz de sacar sonidos increíbles con sus solos vertiginosos dirigidos por el pulgar. Su calidad le permiten entroncar directamente con los guitar heros blancos del blues como Steve Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore o Carlos Santana. Tenía 41 años.

Cuando murió de cáncer de pulmón, en marzo de 2008, me enteré en la Sierra de Cazorla (Jaén) en el periódico. Nada más, nadie más dijo nada. Una ráfaga de viento recorrió, lejos de Toronto, los olivos y pinares para que él pudiera llevarse una última ovación, discreta pero inolvidable. Mejor eso que mil páginas de periódicos escritas por periodistas que nunca escucharon su música.

De su escasa discografía blues-rock he elegido esta canción, escrita por Mark Knopfler. Y debo decir que me gusta más la versión de Jeff. Dejo aquí las dos, la de Mark con Eric Clapton. Pero en sus discos hay joyas escondidas. La más conocida es la de la banda sonora de Roadhouse Blues, película de Patrick Swayze, o Angel Eyes.

Más recientemente el rock le debió de cansar y se entregó a tocar la trompeta con un nuevo grupo de jazz. Y su viuda ha denunciado la edición de un disco de grandes éxitos no autorizada.

Lamento no haber tenido la ocasión de verle tocar en directo. Hubiera sido un espectáculo, pero no fue posible porque en España hay una serie de músicos que nunca tocarán porque no interesan. Y así es imposible que vengan Tom Petty, Indigo Girls, John Mellencamp, etc. Deberíamos estar en el G20 de la música, y no lo estamos.

Me imagino que un estadounidense de Wisconsin amante de la música de El Canto del Loco (por ejemplo, ya que los conoció cuando vino a Salamanca a aprender, mal, español) pensará lo mismo: “nunca vienen al condado de Fond du Lac los grandes artistas internacionales”. Pues eso.

Para que no os aburráis esta Semana Santa, he preparado una recopilación de versiones de temas de Neil Young (también haré un recopilatorio doble de Neil Young, que me lo han pedido algunos amigos que le verán en el Primavera Sound).

En total son 19 temas interpretados por Thom Yorke, Mercury Rev, Paul Weller, K.D. Lang, The Divine Comedy, Clem Snide, Tanya Donelly, Of Montreal, Britta Phillips, She & Him, The Byrds, Euro-Trash Girl, Saint Etienne, Pixies, David Bowie, Jeff Healey, Suzi Quatro, Waco Brothers y Pearl Jam.

La recopilación empieza por los temas lentos, como After the Gold Rush o Philadelphia, y poco a poco va cogiendo ritmo, terminando con Rockin’ In The Free World, Revolution Blues y Fuckin’ Up. Como siempre, haciendo clic en la imagen de la portada podéis descargaros las canciones de la recopilación y la carátula en pdf.

AQUÍ tenéis el listado de temas. Feliz Semana Santa.